3409 
 
 Dodsley 
 Melpomene
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD 
 ENDOWMENT FUND
 
 MELPOMENE: 
 
 O R 
 
 The REGIONS of 
 
 TERROR and PITY. 
 
 A N 
 
 O 
 
 D 
 
 E. 
 
 LONDON: Printed in the YEAR 1757;
 
 3 1 
 
 MELPOMENE: 
 
 A N 
 
 O D E. 
 
 I 
 
 OUEEN of the human heart ! at whofe command 
 The {welling tides of mighty Paflion rife ; 
 MELPOMENE, fupport my vent'rous hand, 
 And aid thy fuppliant in his bold emprife, 
 From the gay fcenes of pride 
 Do thou his footfteps guide 
 To Nature's aweful courts, where nurft of yore, 
 Young SHAKESPEAR, Fancy's child, was taught his various lore, 
 
 A 2 H. So 
 
 858549
 
 - [ 4 ] 
 
 IL 
 
 So may his favour'd eye explore the fburce, 
 
 To few reveal'd, whence human fbrrows charm: 
 So may his numbers, with pathetic force, 
 
 Bid Terror fhake us, or Compqffton warm* 
 c 
 
 As different ftrains controul 
 The movements of the foul, 
 Adjuft its paflions, harmonize its tone, 
 To feel for others' woe, or nobly bear its own.. 
 
 - ''. .".';; '-::'' ni. "''""-. ; "-"- 
 
 Deep in the covert of a fhadowy grove, 
 
 Mid broken rocks where dafhing currents play ; 
 Dear to the penfive pleafures, dear to love, 
 
 And Damons Mufe, that breathes her melting lay,. 
 This ardent prayer was made.. 
 When lo 1 the fecret fhade, 
 As confcious of fbme heavenly prefence, fhook 
 Strength, firmnefs, reafbn,. all my 5 aftonifh'd foul forfbofc. 
 
 IV. Ahi
 
 [5] > 
 
 IV. 
 
 Ah ! whither Goddefs ! whither am I borne ? 
 To what wild region's necromantic fhore ? 
 Thefe pannicks whence ? and why my bofbm torne 
 With fiidden terrors never felt before ? 
 Darknefs inwraps me round, 
 While from the vaft profound 
 Emerging fpeftres dreadful fhapes affume, 
 And gleaming on my fight, add horror to the gloom. 
 : : ' ~ " V. . 
 
 Ha I what is he whofe fierce indignant eye, 
 
 Denouncing vengeance, kindles into flame ? 
 Whofe boifterous fury blows a ftorm fb high, 
 . As with its thunder fliakes his labouring frame. 
 What can fiich rage provoke ? 
 His words their paffage choak : 
 His eager fteps, nor time nor truce allow, 
 And dreadful dangers wait the menace of his brow- 
 
 VL Protea
 
 Proteft me, Goddefs ! whence that fearful fliriek 
 
 Of confternation ? as grim Death had laid 
 His icy fingers on ibme guilty cheek, 
 
 And all the powers of manhood Ihrunk difmay'd : 
 Ah fee ! befmear'd with gore, 
 Revenge ftands threatening o'er 
 A pale delinquent, whofe retorted eyes 
 In vain for pity call the wretched vi&im dies* 
 
 VII. 
 Nor long the fpace abandon'd to Defpair, 
 
 With eyes aghaft, or hopelefs fixt on earth, 
 This {lave of paffion rends his fcatter'd hair, 
 Beats his fad breaft, and execrates his birth : 
 While torn within, he feels 
 The pangs of whips and wheels ; 
 And fees, or fancies, all the fiends below, 
 Beckoning his frighted foul to realms of endlefs woe 
 
 VIII. Before
 
 Before my wondering fenfe new phantoms dance, 
 
 And ftamp their horrid fhapes upon my brain 
 A wretch with jealous brow, and eyes afkance, 
 Feeds all in fecret on his bofbm pain. 
 Fond love, fierce hate, aflail ; 
 Alternate they prevail : 
 
 While confcious pride and fhame with rage confpire, 
 And urge the latent Ipark to flames of torturing fire. 
 
 IX. 
 The ftorm proceeds his changeful vifage trace r 
 
 From rage to Madnefs every feature breaks* 
 
 / 
 
 A growing phrenzy grins upon his face, 
 
 And in his frightful ftare Diftraftion fpeaks t 
 His ftraw-invefted head 
 Proclaims all realbn fled ; 
 And not a tear bedews thofe vacant eyes 
 But fbngs and Ihouts fucceed, and laughter-mingled fighs. 
 
 X. Yet,,
 
 ^ x - ' 
 
 Yet, yet again ! a Murderer's hand appears 
 
 Grafping a pointed dagger ftain'd with blood ! 
 His look malignant chills with boding fears, 
 That check the current of life's ebbing flood. 
 In midnight's darkeft clouds 
 The dreary mifcreant fhrowds 
 His felon ftep as 'twere to darknefs given 
 To dim the watchful eye of all-pervading Heaven. 
 
 ' ; ' \ > XL I " : v '- : : -; " . - 
 
 And hark ! ah Mercy ! whence that hollow found ! 
 
 Why with ftrange horror ftarts my briftling hair ? 
 Earth opens wide, and from unhallow'd ground 
 A pallid Ghoft flow-rifmg fteals on air. 
 To where a mangled corfe 
 Expos'd without remorfe 
 
 Lies fhroudlefs, unentomb'd, he points the way 
 Points to the prowling wolf exultant o'er his prey. 
 
 XII. "Why
 
 [9] 
 XH. 
 
 " Was it for this, he cries, with kindly Ihower 
 
 " Of daily gifts the traytor I carefs'd ? 
 " For this array 'd him in the robe of power, 
 " And lodg'd my royal fecrets in his breaft ? 
 " O kindnefs ill repay'd ! 
 " To bare the murdering blade 
 " Againft my life ! may Heav'n his guilt explore; 
 " And to my fuflfering race their fplendid rights reftore." \ 
 
 XIII. 
 He faid, and ftalk'd away. Ah Goddefs ! ceafe, 
 
 Thus with terrific forms to rack my brain; 
 Thefe horrid phantoms fhake the throne of peace, 
 And Reafbn calls her boafted powers in vain, 
 Then change thy magic wand, 
 Thy dreadful troops difband, 
 And gentler fliapes, and fbfter fcenes dilclofe^ 
 To melt the feeling heart, yet fboth its tendereft woes* 
 
 B XIV. The
 
 The fervent prayer was heard. With hideous found, 
 
 Her ebon gates of darknefs open flew; 
 A dawning twilight chears the dread profound, 
 The train of terror vanilhes from view. 
 More mild enchantments rife ; 
 New fcenes falute my eyes, 
 
 Groves, fountains, bowers, and temples grace the plain, 
 And turtles cooe around, and nightingales complain. 
 
 And every myrtle bower and cyprefs grove, 
 And every folemn temple teems with life ; 
 Here glows the fcene with fond but haplefs love, 
 There with the deeper woes of human ftrife. 
 In groups around the lawn, 
 By frefh difafters drawn, 
 The lad fpe^ators feem transfix'd in woe, 
 And pitying fighs are heard, and heart-felt forrows flow. 
 
 i XVI. Behold
 
 [ "I :; 
 
 ;"-;v ; ; - : xvi. :;"-- " ' 
 
 Behold that beauteous maid ! her languid head, 
 Bends like a drooping lily charg'd with rain ; 
 With floods of tears fhe bathes a Lover dead, 
 In brave aflertion of her honour flain. 
 Her bofbm heaves with fighs, 
 To Heaven fhe lifts her eyes, 
 With grief beyond the power of words oppreft, 
 Sinks on the lifelefs corfe, and dies upon his breaft. 
 
 XVIL 
 How ftrong the bands of Friendihip ? yet, alas ! 
 
 Behind yon mouldering tower with ivy crown'd, 
 Of two, the foremoft in her facred clafs, 
 
 One from his friend receives the fatal wound ! 
 What could fiich fury move ! 
 What but ill-fated love ! 
 The lame fair objeft each fond heart enthralls, 
 And he, the favoured youth, her haplefs viftim falls. 
 
 B 2 XVIII. Can
 
 XVIII. 
 
 Can aught ib deeply (way the generous mind 
 
 To mutual truth, as female truft in love ? 
 
 Then what relief fhall yon fair mourner find, 
 
 Scorn'd by the man who fhould her plaints remove ? 
 By fair, but falie Pretence, 
 She loft her innocence ; 
 
 And that fweet babe, the fruit of treacherous art, 
 Clalpt in her arms expires, and breaks the parent's heart. 
 
 : * ; ' - xix. . ; .; " 
 
 Ah ! who to pomp or grandeur would afpire ? 
 
 Kings are not rais'd above misfortune's frown. 
 That form, Co graceful even in mean attire, 
 Sway'd once a fceptre, once fuftain'd a crown. 
 From Filial rage and ftrife, 
 To fcreen his clofing life, 
 He quits his throne, a father's fbrrow feels, 
 And in the lap of Want his patient head conceals. 
 
 XX. More
 
 c *3 
 
 '^:^^- xx. : ' - t ^ : 
 
 More yet remain'd but lo! the PENSIVE QUEEN 
 
 Appears confeft before my dazzled fight ; 
 Grace in her fteps, and fbftnefs in her mien, 
 The face of fbrrow mingled with delight. 
 Not fiich her nobler frame, 
 When kindling into flame, 
 And bold in Virtue's caufe, her zeal afpires 
 To waken guilty pangs, or breathe heroic fires. i 
 
 XXL 
 Aw'd into filence, my rapt foul attends 
 
 The POWER, with eyes complacent, few my fear; 
 And, as with grace ineffable fhe bends, 
 Thefe accents vibrate on my liftening ear. 
 " Afpiring fbn of art, 
 " Know, tho' thy feeling heart 
 " Glow \yith thefe wonders to thy fancy fhewn, 
 " Still may the Delian God thy powerlefs toils difbwn. 
 
 XXII. " A
 
 [14] 
 XXII. 
 
 " A thoufand tender fcenes of foft diftrefs 
 
 " May fwell thy breaft with fympathetic woes ; 
 " A thoufand fuch dread forms on fancy prefs, 
 " As from my dreary realms of darknefs rofe, 
 " Whence SHAKESPEAR'S chilling fears, 
 " And OTWAY'S melting tears 
 " That aweful gloom, this melancholy plain, 
 " The types of every theme thatfuits the TRAGIC STRAIN. 
 
 y XXIL ^ 
 
 u But doft thou worfhip Nature night and morn, 
 
 " And all due honour to her precepts pay ? 
 u Can'ft thou the lure of Affectation fcorn, 
 
 " Pleas'd in the fimpler paths of Truth to ftray ? 
 " Haft thou the Graces fair 
 " Invoked with ardent prayer ? 
 " They muft attire, as Nature muft impart, 
 " The fentiment fublime, the language of the heart. 
 
 XXIV. Then,
 
 - 15 - 
 
 XXIV. ' 
 
 " Then, if aflenting Genius pour his ray, 
 
 " Warm with infpiring influence on thy breaft ; 
 " Tafte, judgment, fancy, if thou can'ft difplay, 
 " And the deep fburce of Paflion ftand confeft ; 
 " Then may the liftening train, 
 " Aflfefted, feel thy ftrain ; 
 " Feel Grief or Terror, Rage or Pity move : 
 " Change with thy varying fcenes, and every fcene approve." 
 
 XXV. 
 Humbled before her fight, and bending low, 
 
 I kifs'd the borders of her crimfbn veft ; 
 Eager to fpeak, I felt my bofbm glow, 
 But Fear upon my lips her feal impreft. 
 While awe-ftruck thus I flood, 
 The bowers, the lawn, the wood, 
 The FORM . CELESTIAL, fading on my view, 
 DifTolv'd in liquid air, and all the vifion flew. 
 
 FINIS.
 
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